Chrysler PowerFlite transmission

PowerFlite is a two-speed automatic transmission engineered and produced by the Chrysler Corporation and used in their passenger cars from 1954 to 1961.

Production began in late 1953 and the simple and durable PowerFlite remained available on Plymouths and Dodges through the 1961 model year.

Chrysler promoted the greater safety of the PowerFlite pattern; because forward and reverse settings were separated by neutral and it was necessary to move the lever only one notch to the left or right to put the car in motion, so an accidental over shift past D would result in a harmless shift to low gear rather than an unintended engagement of reverse.

Many years later, when the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began regulating vehicle controls and displays, the Chrysler pattern (with the Park setting added, becoming P-R-N-D-L), became mandatory for safety reasons originally stated by Chrysler.

[2] They utilized and fitted the automatic transmissions in the ZIL-111 limousines that were used by members of the Soviet politburo as a representative fleet vehicle.